Alexander lyman holley



3 SheetsSheet l.

A. L. HOLLEY.

MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL BY THE BESSBMER 0R PNEUMATIC PROCESS.

No. 86,303. Patented Jan. 26; 1869.

3 SheetsSheet 2.

A. L. HOLLEY. MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL BY THE BESSEMER 0R PNEUMATIC PROCESS.

No. 86,303. Patented Jan. 26, 1869,

a Sheets-Sheet 3'. A; L. HOLLEY.

MANUPAGTURE OF IRON AND STEEL BY THE BESSEMER 0R PNEUMATIC PROCESS. 5

No. 86,303. Patented Jan. 26, 1869.

" kWh/ ALEXANDER LYMAN HOLLEY, 0F SW'ATARA TOWNSHIP, PENN- SYLVANIA.

Letters ream No. 86,303, dated Janna/r 26, 1869.

v OF IRON AND TIC PROCESS STEEL BY m snssnm OB 11w Schedule referred to in these terms Patent and m put r m pneumatic process, which may be generally described as the forcing of air, or other material capable of supplying oxygen, into and-among the particles of fluid crudeiron, in such a manner that the iron thus treated becomes purified, and is converted into malleable iron or steel while retaining the fluid state. The apparatus generally heretofore employed in carrying out this process has been constructed substau- .tially as follows:

Two converters, movable on their axes ny means of hydraulic cylinders, are placed on the opposite sides of a casting-pit. The hood of a detached chimney behind each converter receives the gaseous products issuing from the converter. A hydraulic crane, in the com .tre of the casting'pit, carries a ladle, into which the metal from either converter may be poured by turning down the mouth of the converter, and from which ladle the metal is run out, by means of a suitable. valve, into ingot-moulds ranged around one side of the ingot-pit in the orbit of the ladle-crane.

Two hydraulic cranes standing outside'of the ingotpit, and capable of swinging over the whole space occupied by the moulds, are used to put the moulds into the pit and lift the ingots out. Water, under pressure, is admitted to these cranes, and to the cylinders that turn the converters, by a workman standing on a raised platform, from which all the operations can be overlooked.

Melted iron is run into the converters from meltingfurnaces, by means of movable ironspouts lined with loam.

'The converter is shaped substantially like those shown in the drawing attached to this specification, but it is not made in several movable sections. The shell is made of boiler-plate, and the trnnnions are formed on a wrought-iron hoop that encircles the converter, or are made of cast-iron and riveted to the,

converter. The converter is lined with fire-stone and clay mixed with water into a plastic mass and rammed into an annularsp between a mould and the inside of the walls of the converter. The mould is then withdrawn and the lining glazed. I

Air is admitted to the converter through a hollow trunnion and a pipe leading into a compartment at the bottom of the converter, opposite the mouth, called a conveniently taking the converters apart, or p tuyere hox, whence it is conducted up through the fire-stone lining into the liquid metal by means of perfoiated blocks of fire-brick called tuyeres. When, after six. or eight charges or conversions, the tuycres become burnt or worn'too short for further use, theyare knocked out by means" of a long rod or battering-ram put into the mouth of the converter. New tuyeres are then inserted from the tuyere-box, and the annular spaces between the lining and the tuyeres, and also any cavitiesfin the lining of the bottom, are filled by means of pulverizedrefractorymaterial so mixed with v water as tube semi-fluid, andpoured through the mouth into ,the bottom part of the converter. As -the water dries out, the refractory material sets more or less solidly awund the tnyergs. v

The chief defect'of the said arrangement of mar-- chinery heretofore used, and especially of the abovedescribed method of setting new tuyeres, is that only three or four charges 1: made in both converters n day, o'rsix or eightin a day and night. The object of my improvement is chiefly to increasethe production of iron and steel in the same number of converters, and to reducer-he cost of production,

For this purpose, 1 construct theconverter with a joint at any suitable place below the trunnions, and arrange a lift and a car, both operated (by preference) hywater under pressure, so that the lower portion of the converter (which, for the purposes of this'specifi-- cation, 1 call a movable bottom) can be movedout from under the body of the converter, where the workman can get directly at the tuyeres, and can set them quickly and stronglyby ramming ground refractory material solidly around them, instead of pouring it around them in a semi-fluid state. 1 The movable bottom is then rapidly replaced by the same car and liit.

To still more facilitate repairs and production, 1 prefer to have two or more duplicate movable bottoms fitted to be attached to one or to either of the convertere, so that while one movable bottom is being repaired, another can be in use. By these means, proper y worked, Ican make ten tofifteen charges or more, in'twenty-four hours, with two converters,

In order to provide pit-accommodation for this increased production, I prefer to place-the converters near each other on one side of the ingot-pit, and I-arrange three ingot-cranes, ins dof two, to swing over the-pit. The chimneys behind the converters are built into the walls of the building, and do not, as in the previously-described arrangement, stand out in the way of the ingot-cranes;- Two'of the ingot-cranes are arranged to swing over the converters, respectively, solid or other materials in them. a For the purpose of conveniently plmng coal or other materials in the mouths of the converters, and of the converters, and inorder to} have a clear space around the lower of the converters, on the gen-'1 I eral level or neon-I; place the trunnionsfofiIthe-eom--' verters at a height suitable for thcsefpnrposesyby? pref?rence,l about eightorpine feet 'above the 'gen'eml eve-H: v v.. i.

, divide the ovens mm several 1 compartmenig and latedv by dampers ,inithe '.passag es i}between them,;oi-; prefer to mould separatefire-places' maybe connected. wither sitiiatini 1 Y which one or more able chimneys.

'. carriage, made to roll easily ing in orderthe spouts that condoc-tliquid metal to them, the eoalamlslag that are poured out and of economically making'two storiesof valuableroom around the converters, and alsoin order to conveniently repair the movable bottomsl'con'struot, atabout the,

level of the trunnions, a platform around the v convert;

, ers, and extending some. distance on either side 011mm;

In this'plafi'orm I make two openings large enough for the converters to turn "over-in,andtwootheropeningsi over the movable liottoms'when they 'are run-out on t the before mentioned. workmen standing on'this' platform can, with snitable' bars andrammers, work toms are still hot.

. y In order to raisethe botizlm trans "near-'10 the general level of the building,tbat'k'ingotsaud,

.monlds can be more quickly handled, and 'inorder make--head-r00mfund'er{the aforesaid platform" m'oun .Thetwo in'got cranes" that swing oyeiiconve ersrespectively','also.swing over, ovens ma4le upon or under fthefloor of the oonyei tin'g-house, I prefer';

beat them by means of-ajfirep I [I v p The heat' in the dillerent compartments .may y gg in the compartments.

In orderto keep theloa'ni, oiothenfire-inaterials used;

for. linings, moulds, and other-purposes, fromii'eeiing in cold weather, I sometimes store them in: bins, vunder fines 'fromhthe'ovens' t shit- -These 'o'vensare used chiefly to dry or heat and thus prepare for use thefloann'or clay, orotherf Jefracto linings of ladiesand' movable. bottoms, also-moulds for, castings. v 'j Access is usually made to ovens in' foundries and for other similarpurposes by doorsin thesides of said ovens, and the ladles, moulds, and other thingsto'be heated-.- gare runin and out upon'cars. 'j

These cars take-up-much roomivhenoutofithe,

' ovens,fand the trackjfor the cars-mustbe kept clear,.

and allheavy. things must be-liited on or off: the cars by cranes.- On account of the heat'in the ovens, the:

cars'cannot be' well lubricated, and-hence. run very hard. I prefer to make my ovens with holes in the top sulficiently large tolet in the ladles, moulds, 8m, to be dried.

These holes are covered \vi'thsuitable lids, which may be. quickly lifled on: or on by ,the cranes swinging over them. 1 53 118 ladies, 8m, may be-quickly'lowered' into or lifted out ofthe ovens by thesame cranes,and set.

down anywhere within the orbits of the cranes. Thus, a ladle may, by the same ingot-crane above mentioned, be taken'out of the ,ladlecra e; set on the floor -to'be.

lined, placed in. the oven-w-beheated, and then lifted out of the oven and set in the ladle-crane again. I preferthe hydrauliccrane, which consists of a rises and falls with the upper part of-the plunger. A from end"to end: of the jib, carries theweightfi a 'It'will thus-be seen that, in my. arrangement of oven .and crane-the crane takes the place of the car ordina- The cars under "the, converters, arranged the movable bottoms, may be also arranged tocany n s v.i i e o t e W. ;ai d st -rengthened byrsuitable of the-convertersi:

es, 'elhptiem the car may be-rnn' out-under thelcr'ane, and the tank may be lifted -slagfand'1'cdal from the converters. decider-to, O'Qnstiiic 'jconve'rter, wi tl1.. oneor' more, movable 'bottoms, at afcompar'atively small cost, and

irl 'ordentofcheapen the cost of theconv'erter thin-1gb: only; as compared with theflwronghtdron converter through. the last-named openings upon the tuyeres' and lining of the movable bottoms below-J-whfle said bot' made, fll'prcfer remake itot' icast-ii-on seceditogether by-bolts, by preference, cotter enougheto be far as =pos'sihle,j duplieaitesof other gjustalike, except'ithat tbe'trnn'nion on one; section. is o low; v v formed .qm be next Qsection ibelow, 1 'whence; it'is con-. du ted. in .fih i-i y' e q i1? T flm min mu idifl'erent 'ico 'eboires', or: the. difi'erent trnnnions', answer'to onld bothhalve's-ofthe' i'lentres'ections sections are'thenbolted-together by oifsnitable-flanges V '7 I I mmgea to condnctr "air into an air pipe The seeti ns,j ahove v as em ;f be i minimum- ,piece, which Iprefei' y I v ke-in t-wo jsections,'divide'd vertically. I

the 1 com/mar," I

Blade whenith1fifrgqpi steel has be; let out btihe'iadi into the: ingot-moulds, there v remains in .':th eladle a considerable amountoffslag; This slag, and the lining fo'f, the ladle, when anew lining .is, to -bep'ut' in, have the converting-house. To zavoid -this lit-fer, and the; inconvenience-of removing 'it,v.I- place a tank in' the ingot-pit, 'withimmnge. o1" t lie'-.-ladle-.crane, into which theslag and lining may be emptiedlug whenjthe tank isfull, it may be hoisted out hyon'e of the ingot-crat ng set ona car, and l'll'll ollt of doors emptied.

"It sometimes happens that; the i'ailing of the tuyeres 'or some ot-li'ercausq it is impossible' to'mrry the wnverting-process to completion. If, ;in such case, the cast-iron or *partially converted ometalp s run into ingots, the moulds are-likely to be injured, and

"the ingots, thus formed, have to be'bnoken up, at considerable cost, in order to beremelted; plnnger,- th'e.'lower.part of which worksup and down in a-hydraulic cylinder. The 'jib is fastened to and got-moulds, and also for the purpose of making shotted metal for crucible-steel, and also for the purpose of preventing a heavy seull in case the nozzle of the ladle should become stopped, I sometimes place, inithe ingot-pit, another tank, so situated that the ladle may be either teemed or tipped into it. This tank' is arranged to be rapidly filled'with water, andqnickly The-.i'central -part..of;the converter; that has the} s IYprefer'to-ldivide,perpendicularly-tether trunniong linto: twof- 'sections, NVbIOh are t I w we meme i e which:

For-the purpose of cheaply putting. such metal into my 'a convenient form for remelting, without using thein- The table 2 z is then raised until the tripod is lifted off the car into contact with the legs 5 of the tuycrebox it, fig. 2.

v The ootters that fasten the movable: bottom B to the body of the converter B, are then knocked out; the lift, and, with it, the tripod and the movable bot-- tom, are lowered; and the car, tripod, and movable bottom are run out together, into the position shown at B, fig. 4.

Worknien, standing on the platform A a, then knock out the old tuyeres, which fall into the pit 10.

New tuyeresare inserted by a workman standing in the pit 10, and ganister, or other refractory material, may be rammedaround them, and the bottom be madegood by the workmen standing on, the platform ,A a while the interior of the converter'is still red hot.

The car is then run under the body B of the converter, and the movable bottom B is lifted and fast cued into place, when thecar is again run back out of the way. l

. The new bottom is rapidly dried by'the heated lining of the converter.

Ajnew set of tuyeres may be set, and rammed, and the converter made ready for use, .by these means, in a very short time,

To insnre'a good joint between the movable bottom and the body of the converter, I. prefer to cover the fracture of the lining with a paste, of fire-clay or other refractory material, in the manner usually practised for making such joints.

The upper part a b c of the converter may be turned straight down, and removed by the tripod, the lugs l, and the lift, as already described, if it is preferred to line or repair the converter in this way. Instead of removing the whole lower part of the converter B', fig. 4, to set new tuyeres, I sometimes prefer to remove only the lowersection of it, g, which is cot, tered to B, just as B is cottered to the upper part of the converter 13.

i This section g, I let down, move out, repair, and replace, in the same manner and by the same means as in caseof the section B, as above described.

The joint of the lining, between the section and the .body of the converter, may be made good in the manner before described, or in any suitable manner.

When the production is large, I prefer to use duplicute movable bottoms. The old bottom 9 or B, fig. 4, is, in this case, lifted from the car by the crane K, fig. 1, and set out upon the floor for repairs. A repaired bottonghot from the oven Pf, is then lifted upon the car by the same crane, and'attached to the-converter, in the manner already described. A bottom (drawn in section) is standing in the oven P, fig. 2.

The use of duplicate bottoms enables me to dry the lining more slowly and uniformly, and thus to'insure its greater soundness and durability.

The bottoms maybe dried and heated by a fire placed within or upon them. This may be done while they are standingon the floor; but to avoid the nuisance of excessive smoke, the bottom should stand in a chamber having achimney. The oven is not only such a chamber, but its heated atmosphere promotes the uniformity of drying.

'The arrangement of the plant, before referred to, is shown indigs. 1 and 2.

The converters A and B are placed side by side. The converter-chimneys 30, provided with hoods 31, are built in the wall, 32, of the converting-building, and so situated that the cranes K and K can swing clear of them.

I make openings, U, in the walls, under the claim;- .neys,- leading to a door or platform in the meltingbuildin upon which workmen can stand ,to get at the tuyerexes.

The platform A a extends around the converters,

and I prefer to extend it laterally to the walls of the building. -It is, by preference, made of cast-iron plates,

with a low flange around the outer edge, 'and'is sup ported by the beams D and D,-the crane-cylinders 14, and by suitable posts,-12, and beams 13.

Itwill be observed that by'setting the converters 7 high enough to leave head-room under the platform A a, situated at their centres, a clear space, on the general level or floor of ,the building, is left around the converters, so that workmen can see and get at-all the lower parts of the converters, without getting'into the pit beneath them.

The openings J and'J are made in the platform A a .to allow working at the movable bottoms, as already described, and the passages T and T are made in the platform for the crane-chain when it swings over the openings J J, to lift a movable bottom, or any weight.

I prefer to place the centre of the oven P as far from the centre of the crane K as the movable bottom- B is, when the car is run out, so that a bottom can be transferred from an oven to a car, without movin'g the carriage on the jib of the crane.

The construction of oven I prefer, for reasons previously mentioned, is shown in plan by fig. 1, where 1 is the compartment for converter-bottoms; Q Q are compartments for ladies, (which may be further heated over the furnace 17, fig. 3, in the ordinary manner;) It is the fire-place; S is the firing-pit; S are flues for hot gases to pass from the fireplace to the compartments, and thence into the space S, fig. 2, the top offwhich forms thebottom of the bin T,) an thence into the chimney 15, h'g. 1. The heat in the various compartments maybe regulated by dai'npers in the fines S. The lids or covers for the compartments are shown in plan at 'P Q, and the ovens and lids are shown in ver- -tica'l section at fig. 2.

These ovens may be built upon thedo'or of the con-- verting-room, and extend up to therplatforin A a; but to increase the working space on the floor, I prefer to place them as shown in the drawing: The topsof the' lids may be paved with brick, or left bare, when they form a convenient heater for drying fire-clay or other materials. The lids are lifted by the cranes K K'.by means of suitable chains and eye bolts.

When the tripod v, figs. 3 and 4, is not in use, it may be removed from the car by a crane, and a tank, 7, (shown in the car a, fig. 4,) set in its place. When the. converter is turned down to empty, the car may be moved under it, and the tank will then catch the coal 'or slag that runs out. The tank may be lifted out,

when filled, by the same crane, thus keeping the easting-pit clear of debris.

I place the water-tank N, figs. 1 and 3,'in the ingotpit, within the orbit of one of the ingot-cranes, and in such a position that the contents of the ladle may be either teemed or tipped into it, ariil thus shotted. Suitable supply and drainage-water pipes are connected with the tank. When the tank is drained, the shotted meta-l may be shovelled' into buckets, and hoisted put by the crane. The uses of the tanks 31 N and N have been further referred to above.

The means I prefer for moving the ladle radially on the ladle-crane, areshown atflgs. land 5. The trunnions of the ladle M rest upon the carriages O O, which run upon the jibs L of the ladle-crane, and are moved by. means of the rod X, which is attached, at one end, to the cross-head q, which is attached tothe carriages O 0, and at the other end is screwed and passes through and down 'by means of a slide. It frequently happens that the stopper-rod gets from some other cause, does not stand over chinery therein.

It sometimes happens that a charge of ingots cannot be. removed from the casting-pit, and the moulds replaced, before another charge is ready to be blown. This is especially likely to occur innnelting the iron to be converted in a cupola-f'urnace. To prevent delay from this cause, 1 leave room in the casting-pit for two concentric lines of ingot-moulds, and, in order to fill these moulds, I set the ladle in a carriage that may be runin and out on" theladle-ciane by means of a screw, or a rack, or other suitable device.-

This moving in or out. of the ladle is also useful for placing the ladle to catch the iron or steel as i". pours bent, or, the centre of the nozzle, and hence closed upon it. In order to quickly regulate the positionof the stopper, when it is. put into the ladle, or while it is in use, I arrange the aforesaid .slideso that cannot be tightly it can be moved toward or away from the ladle,- by a screw within reach of the'workman who raises and lowers .the stopper. I

To enable others toconstruct and use my -inven-- tions, I will describe the same by reference to the aunexed drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which the same letters refer to the same parts. Figure 1 is ahorizontalsection of the converting building, and a plan of the principal plant, and ma Figure 2 is a'veitieal section of the converting-building, and of one of the ovens,

and an elevation of the converters, converting-chimneys, and a part of the other apparatus.

Figure 3 a plan of the converters, and of the parts immediately surrounding'tncm. Figure 4 is an elevation of the Figure 5 is a vertical section made through the centne of the converting-building, at a right angle with the section shown at fig. 2." v

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of ,th e centre and lowerpnrts ofthe converter, showing the joints in the air-pipe leading from the trunnion to the tuyere-box.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal scctiou, on a largerscale, of two of the air-joints shown in figQfi.

Figure 8 is a cross-section of one of the cars used for removing the bottoms of the converters.

Figure 9 is an elevation of a arrangement.

Figure 10, a plan, and

Figure 11, a vertical section of the same.

The inner trunnion of the converter A rests in.a pillow-block, forming the top of the stand E.

. .Thc converter is rotated by the hydraulic cylinder and piston H, and the rack F, and pinion G, which is keyed to the trunnion.

The outer trunnion of. the converter rests in the pillow-blockm, formed in the beam 'D, which rests in the wall at one end, and on the column I at the other end. 'lbe beam and column are employed under this side of the converter, to allow the car and movable bottom to pass out to one side, as shown on the right of fig. 4, e

Air is conducted from the blowing-engine, through the regulator 20, figs. 1 and 5, the. pipe 11,,the column. I,

thcpipenleading into the trunnion, and thence through the pipes f and j (see also figs. 3- and 6) formed in the side of the nonvortento the tuyere-box h.

parts shown in fig. 3.

ladle and ladle-stopper out: 8

and conducted, by the spouts o, fig. 1, through the opening U in thwal-l of the building, to the converters, and the converted metal is poured into the ladle M on the ladle-crane L, and thence cast intoingots in the usual manner.

The centre section "of the converter A is cast in two pieces, 0 and d, fig. 3, which areshown bolted to- The section u'is secured to theccntre cotter-Wilts.

to the section a by cotter-bolts.

pipe fcastupon its side.

Section 5' y be cast upon section a, if preferred, or may be cluttered to in. I The tuyerc-box h has a ation of the pipe f,)castupon it, and is secured to section. iiby bolts. and nuts, or in, any suitable manner, and t ner.

leading from the trunnion to the tuyere-box is shown by figi 6.

The lower joint is shown, on a larger scale, by fig. 7. The pipe 2, by preference made of copper, a quarter it projects into,

said pipe, where it fits loosely into pipesforj, an In-- dia-rubber ring,'5, fig. 7, is placed around the copper pipe, and pressed intothe joint by tightening the iron ring or gland 4, by means of the nuts 9 on the studbolt 7.

- I findthat a hollow rubber gasket will adapt itself very'well to irregularities in the joint, but any suitable gasket may be used. I prefer toremove the lower part'of the converter, to line it, as shown at B',-figs. 3 and 4, and to turn {he remaining part of the converter straightdown, to

ine it.

The lining may theusual manner.

' The upper part is then turned straight up, as shown at B, fig. 4, and the bottom part, or movable bottom, rununder, lip Y. v

The car it, shownin cross-section run under the converter,

be rammed in around a mould, in

at 8, may be as. shownih fig. 2,0r into a hydraulic cylinder Z, fig. behind the converters, or in shown at fig. 8, and 'thusclamping the chain to the car, either car maybe moved in either direction.

To repair a movable bottom, after the tnyeresare held up by means of the lugs v, resting on the carframe.

The car is then run under the converter, the tripod just clearing the table .1 '3, of the lilt .Y. p

The iron to be converted is meltedin a suitable furnace in another building, in the rear of the converters,.

gether, but they may be cast in one pieceif preferred. I section by The nose may be cast in one piece, or maybe made in two pieces, 6 and c, bolted together. It is fastened Section 0 is like section-o, except that it has the air pipe, (which is a continu- I e tuyere-box cover is put on in the usual man-- The manner of making the joints in the air-pipe of an inch thick, is riveted'withiu the flange k,-cast- In order to prevent the air from blowing out around andattached, by means of the car 11. and

the position shown at B, fig. 4, by hand; but I pre-- ing the piston, and treading. upon theclutch-lever,

worn out, the tripod c, fig. 4, is set into the car, and

the legs or hydraulic rod 21 is moved up and down, over the nozzle 25, in

the usual manner, by means of the sliding bar t, working in the guide 8, and thehaud-lever 16. But instead of making the guide 8 stationary upon the ladle, I at tach it to the casting 3, which is bolted upon theladle, by means of a hinge, 6, on one side, and by means of a hand-screw, 1, on the other side, so that by turning the hand-screw, the stopper-rod may be moved and adjusted over the nozzle.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement of a crane, converter, and chimney, relatively to each other, so that the crane can swing entirely around its orbit over the converter, without'coming in contact with the chimney, substantially as described.

2. Supporting one side ofa converter upon a beam, in such manner as to permit, a car, or its equivalent, to

set forth. 5. The combination, with a converter, of 'a hollow column for supporting the beam D, and adapted to convey the blast to the converter, substantially as do scribed.

6. The arrangement of converter and platform A a, so as to enable the, latter to be employed, without'depressing the floor or floors beneath or around the con- 7. The construction of the air-joint, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a crane, of a ladle, capa bio of being moved in and out thereon, substantially as described.

.9. The combination of the guide and hand-screw, or

stopper, substantially as described.

Witnesses: A. L. HOLLEY.

M. M. Lrvmes'ron, Jonn R. Qoornn.

of the converter, substantially as and for the purposes verter, substantially as and for the purposes described.

its equivalent, for the purpose of v adjusting the ladle 

